It was the scheduled day for the All-Star Game, to be held at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in Washington, DC. However, heavy rains postponed the game until Wednesday, July 23. Many players, MLB alumni, officials, and media types enjoyed an afternoon reception at the White House, where President Richard Nixon was described by the Associated Press as “like a small boy with a new batch of bubblegum baseball cards” as he worked the crowd of baseball greats.

Outside RFK Stadium, MLB hosted a large party for various members of Congress and dignitaries in celebration of baseball’s 100^th birthday. Things were going great until the storms moved in and everyone had to seek shelter in the nearby DC Armory.

The rainout also cost Nixon a chance to throw out the first pitch, as he was scheduled to fly to California for the splashdown of Apollo 11 in the Pacific Ocean later that evening. Vice President Spiro Agnew ended up throwing out two first pitches (one to each team) for the rescheduled game.

Today’s birthday: Mike Sweeney (1973)